Part~29
Hi everyone
I know it's been ages since I've updated, and I'm really sorry about that.
It's been a rough couple of weeks for me, and I really didn't want to put this update up in such a dark mood.
This is a wonderful update, I know all of you will love it, and I wanted to post this when it felt right to me.
I can promise you that the update schedule will be much more organized and straightforward from now on, and I'm once again really sorry for the delay.
PLEASE leave your comments, and hit the like button, because I really need your feedback on this!
Thank you!
Sanjana
-xxx-
Although Priya had finally met Khushi, she didn't feel like going back home. Ram and her had packed enough supplies for three weeks, and they figured that would last them long enough. Ram didn't really want to go back to Mumbai either, considering everything that's been happening with his life as well.
Priya was convinced that Khushi was fine, and led a perfectly normal life that any four year old would live. She also knew that Khushi was genuinely happy, and got more than what she deserved and had wonderful parents. Even still, there was something holding Priya that made her feel oddly upset and sad. Priya would start the day with her tear streams dried on her cheek, and would end the day crying softly into her pillow- thinking Ram was asleep but he could hear every single one of her sobs.
Ram had tried to talk to her about it, but she avoided the conversation every time. Priya was not in any state talking to Ram about this, she just wanted this to be between herself and her heart.
Ram felt miserable looking at Priya like this...he almost felt like Priya lost someone yet again. To summarize Priya's life on a whole in these years would just be how she lost everyone she loved dearly. Listening to her painful sobs at night brought tears to his own eyes, and he had to put a stop to this...now.
A few days later:
'Priya, we have to talk about this'. Ram sat beside her on the couch. She was pretending to read Cosmo, but Ram knew she was blankly flipping through the pages.
'About what?' Priya stalled, her eyes still stuck to the magazine.
'Can you talk to me about this? Priya, let me help you. Tumhe aise dekhkar mujhe bohot takleef hoti hai! Mujhse toh baat karo'. Ram pleaded.
'Kar toh rahi hoon aapse baat'. Priya said, still not looking up.
'Stop all of this'. Ram snatched the magazine from Priya's hands and literally threw it on the bed.
'What is your problem?' Priya shouted. 'I was reading that! Mujhe akhela nahi chod sakthe aap? Hadd hai, really!'
'Calm down! Itna gussa kyun ho rahi ho tum? Breathe!' Ram said.
'You know what Ram, aapko agar mere saath yahan baithkar yeh sab baatein karne ka iraada hai toh behtar yahi hoga ki hum log ghar hi chalein. I'm least interested in this bullshit'. Priya snapped at him, yanking herself off of the couch and started to storm herself out to the washroom.
Ram pulled Priya's arm just in time, tight enough to make her face him, close enough to make her heartbeats race, and Ram knew she was going to shut up.
'You listen to me very carefully'. Ram ordered sternly, almost whispering. They'd never talked to each other being this close. He held both her arms even tighter now. 'Hum dono kahin nahi jaa rahe hain jab tak tum mujhse baat nahi karti ho theek se. I'm sick of this silent treatment. Tum ab aur chup nahi reh sakthi, Priya. Tumhe iss haal mein dekhkar mujhe tumse zyaada pareshaani hoti hai. Raat bhar jab tum roti ho yeh sochkar ki mein so raha hoon, mere aankhon mein bhi raat bhar aansu aati hai jo mein pounch nahi paata kyunki it doesn't stop. Tumhare saath-saath mein bhi theek se naa kha paata hoon, na theek se so paata hoon...nothing. So mein samajhta hoon ki tumhare andar kya beeth rahi hai, tumhe bas baat karna hai mujhse. Please'.
Priya didn't even rest her frightened hands on Ram. She just snuggled her whole body close to herself, she didn't want to do anything. Her eyes already filled up with tears, and she didn't want to do anything. All she wanted to do was sleep and never wake up.
'I just want to sleep'. Priya quietly replied, after moments of silence. 'I just want to sleep and never wake up. Mujhe nahi karni hai yeh sab kuch. Thak gayi hoon mein, aise jeete. I want my old life back'.
Ram gently let go of her, and sat down on the couch. He gestured for her to sit down as well, which she obeyed. 'Priya, jab tumne Khushi ko dekh liya aise, tumhe itni pareshaani kyun hai? Uske liye kyun fikar kar rahi ho tum?'
'Mein Khushi ke liye fikar nahi kar rahi hoon. Mein jaanti hoon ki uski zindagi mein koi kami nahi hai, mujhe pata hai ki woh theek hai...apni aankhon se dekha hai meine usse. It's just that...ki sach yeh hai ki mein apni beti se mili. Ram, how can I leave her now? Usse dekhke hi...I felt like staying with her forever. Usko phir se chodna...mere liye bohot mushkil hai'. Priya admitted.
'Mein maanta hoon ki woh tumhari beti hai lekin Priya, ab uski maa, legally, tum nahi ho. I know tum janam denewaali maa ho lekin there's a difference, yaar. Kaise samjhaaun tumhe?' Ram sighed.
'It's okay'. Priya sniffled. 'Ho jaaungi theek'.
'Priya, nahi, yaar. Tumhe aise rote hue mein chain se baith nahi saktha'.
'Mein theek hoon, Ram'. Priya repeated. 'Please, iss baare mein baat nahi karni hai mujhe'.
'Arre lekin-',
'Stop'. Priya interrupted. 'Please, please, stop. Mujhe iss baare mein baat nahi karni hai'.
There was silence in the room for a while. Ram had to choose his words carefully, so she wouldn't snap at him again.
'Kya aise hi hotel mein rote hue baithke theek ho jaaogi tum?' Ram sarcastically commented. 'I think we should go out'.
'Ram mujhe baahar jaane mein koi interest nahi hai, please'. Priya said.
'Priya this is not going to help. Waapas Mumbai jaana hai phir tumhe?' Ram asked. 'Yahan rehkar kuch nahi hone waala'.
'Nahi, mujhe kahin nahi jaana kuch wakt ke liye'. Priya replied.
'Okay there's an Indian party out here, chalein? I saw some flyer. Der ho rahi hai...go get ready'. Ram ordered.
'Party?' Priya spat. 'Are you serious? Mujhe nahi jaana hai party mein, please'.
'Priya, come on! Arre I'll be there with you, bas ek raat ki baat hai'. Ram persuaded her.
'Ram mujhe parties bilkul acchi nahi lagti hai, aur especially ab mujhe aisa kuch nahi karna hai. Aur waise bhi, look at our age, iss ummar mein kaun jaata hai aisi waali party? Yeh parties youngsters ke liye hota hai!' Priya exclaimed.
'Arre kya farak padta hai? Koi humse kehne nahi waala ki hum dono buddhe ho gaye hain! Party karne ka koi age thodi hota hai!' Ram defended himself. 'Tumhe accha lagega yaar!'
'Ram, I'm not going anywhere. Wahan jaake aap mujhse kahenge ki ek drink pee lo, tumhe accha lagega. Uske baad aap kahenge ek dance kar lo, tumhe accha lagega. Aisi condition mein mujhe kahin bhi jaana nahi chahiye, seriously'. Priya sighed.
'Theek hai'. Ram surprisingly agreed. 'Tum baahar nahi jaana chaahti ho naa, toh theek hai. Kam se kam yahan iss hotel room mein mere saath toh wakt bita sakthi ho naa tum'.
'Ram-', Priya began.
'Please'. Ram interrupted. 'Yaar I'm in a relaxed mood today, kitne dinon ke baad mein yahan apne sabse khareeb dost ke saath hoon aur mujhe kissi bhi baat ki chinta nahi hai. Just one dance, I swear you'll feel better'.
'Mujhe dance karna hi nahi aata!' Priya flushed. 'And hotel room mein? Really? Aapne kya pee rakhi hai jo hum dono aise hi hotel room mein dance karenge? Please mujhe aap khush karne ki koshish mat kijiye. Theek hoon mein'.
'Mein kissi ko khush nahi karna chaahta hoon! Okay? Mere liye itna nahi kar sakthi tum? Arre I'm the man, I'll lead! Yaar tum hamesha kehti ho naa ki hugging makes it all better, mein tumse keh raha hoon ki apne sabse khareeb dost ke saath dance karna makes it all better'. Ram told her.
'Ram you are mad'. Priya almost mumbled.
'Come on'. Ram dragged Priya to the centre of the bedroom with space in it.
Ram took out his phone and played one of Priya's favourite songs...blasted the speaker to its loudest and left it on the TV table beside them.
Priya took this chance to scram away from Ram, because she found this idea rather stupid.
'You're no fun. Yeh toh tumhara favourite gaana hai!' Ram exclaimed, and pulled her back.
Priya sighed and circled her arms reluctantly on Ram's neck, her hands locked together behind his neck. She instantly blushed and looked away.
Ram held her waist and just like Priya, locked his hands together behind her waist and brought her closer to him.
*Kissi ko sapna lage tu
Kissi ko behti hawa
Kissi ko bas baaton mein, kare pal mein yahan wahan
Kissi ke sau jhoot sun lein
Kissi ka sach bhi guna
Kissi ke bas yaadon mein, kare hulchul saara jahan
Te amo, me te amo
Tu chaanv hai, tu dhoop hai
Te amo, me te mo
Tere hazaron roop hai
Koi samjha nahi, jo bhi has bas khoob hai
Falling so crazy in love, te amo, me te amo
Tu chaanv hai, tu dhoop hai
Te amo, me te amo
Tere hazaron roop hai...*
Their eyes were locked upon one another's, refusing to look anywhere else. Priya forgot what world she was in, what problems were eating the life out of her for the past few days...everything. She didn't know what it was, but she felt incredibly complete. This...was what she had dreamed of, ever since she was a little girl. And that same childhood typical girly little dream, was coming so very true in front of her eyes.
*Kabhi lage...raaton main mein...khwaabon se baatein karoon..
Subah unhi, khwaabon ko mein kaabu karoon..
Kabhi lage...taaron se bhi...unchi udaane bharoon..
Kabhi lage, badalon se jaibein bharoon..
Te amo, me te amo
Taarein ginoon, tere liye
Te amo, me te amo
Saare chunu, tere liye
Khwaab saare bunu, tere hi tere liye
Falling so crazy in love, te amo, me te amo
Taarein ginoon, tere liye
Te amo, me te amo
Saare chunu, tere liye...*
Ram observed Priya was slowly trying to wiggle away from him, and instantly held her tighter and pulled her closer. Although Priya seemed to feel a little awkward about this, he didn't feel any sort of awkwardness at all. He felt like this was his place, only and only his. This was his dream, formatted in a totally different way, that had been gobbling through his mind for ten years. He regretted everything that happened with Sonali, he regretted going to US and basically wasting six years of both their lives... But not anymore...he wasn't going to live a second with regrets.
*Kabhi lage...mili nahi...tumse mein khwaabon mein bhi
Kabhi lage...kahin toh hai rishta koi..
Kabhi lage...chu tumhe...yunhi khayaalon mein hi
Kabhi lage...nahi nahi chori nahi..
Te amo, me te amo
Tu paas hai, par door hai
Te amo, me te amo
Jaata nahi yeh, noor hai
Teri chori bhi yeh, manzoor manzoor hai
Falling so crazy in love, te amo, me te amo
Tu paas hai, par door hai
Te amo, me te amo
Jaata nahi yeh...noor hai..*
Ram and Priya continued to sway till the very last beat of the song. They hadn't realized at that moment what exactly had happened. Priya quickly removed her hands off of Ram's neck, embarrassed.
Ram smiled a little, her simplicity and innocence made him go mad even today..
'Accha lag raha hai, right?' Ram almost whispered after a few moments, unlocking his hands off of her waist and bringing them to his pant pockets.
'Haan'. Priya said, backing up away from Ram just a bit. 'Thank you'.
There was an awkward silence for a long time. Priya was fidgeting with her fingers nervously. Ram broke the silence, and Priya immediately felt awkward again...
'Jab log mujhse poocha karte the ki mein aur tum ek saath kyun nahi hai...as a couple...toh pata hai mein kya kehta tha? Mein kehta tha ki nahi...mein aur Priya sirf dost hain aur saari zindagi hum dono sirf dost hi reh sakthe hain. Lekin aaj...Priya...mein tumse jhut nahi bolunga...lekin aaj mujhe kuch aur hi mehsoos hua tha'. Ram openly admitted.
Priya was quite taken aback by Ram's full comfort of honesty, and she knew she would never be able to say anything like that to his face. Priya was not as brave as Ram always complimented her to be. He was not scared of rejection, or anything, even considering the fact that he had been cheated on once. 'Kaise nahi hota?' Priya found the words to say. 'Hum dono...Boston mein...ek honeymoon suite mein...ek romantic song ke saath dance kar rahe the. Obviously aap kuch alag mehsoos karenge'.
'Tum aur mein...hum dono jaante hain ki humaara rishta dosti se zyaada hai. Aur sirf aaj se nahi, pichle das saalon se jab se hum ek doosre ko jaante aaye hain, it was not friendship between us. Hum dono ko pata nahi tha ki uss rishta ka naam kya tha, toh hum dono ne usse dosti hi samajhke rakha tha. Lekin, ab, mujhe samajh mein aa gaya hai ki woh pyaar tha. Dosti nahi tha woh. Sonali se mein iss liye pyaar karne laga kyunki uski shakal mein mujhe tum dikh gayi, uski personality mein mujhe tum dikh gayi. Lekin woh sab jhoot tha...sab kuch naatak tha. That was a clear sign ki mera sach pyaar woh nahi thi...tum thi. Mujhe aaj realize hua hai ki meine Sonali se kabhi pyaar kiya hi nahi. Shuruat se sirf tumse pyaar karta tha mein...mujhe sirf aaj realize ho raha hai. Yakeen ho gaya mujhe, ki agar mujhe saari zindagi kissi ke saath bitaana hai toh woh tum ho. Tumhare saath bistar share karte hue mujhe awkward nahi feel hota kyunki andar se mujhe pata hai ki uss mein koi galati nahi hai, kyunki pyaar mein tumse karta hoon. Tumhare saath honeymoon suite share karte hue mujhe bilkul bhi awkward feel nahi hota kyunki mujhe pata hai ki...ki uss mein koi galati nahi hai. Das saal se tumse pyaar kiya hai meine, aur mujhe sirf aaj theek se yakeen ho gaya aur sirf aaj tumse bolne ka himmat hua. I love you, Priya. I guess...I love you'. Ram chuckled slightly.
-xxx-
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
